Reclosable lid for a food or beverage container and having a vacuum or pressure release button

ABSTRACT

A sheet metal lid has a rim portion removably secured to a container and includes a vent button having a top wall portion surrounded by a side wall portion and an outwardly projecting flange portion. A portion of the button has an arcuate shear line extending substantially into or through the sheet metal, and the sheet metal is flattened or compressed at the shear line to form positively connected opposing sheet metal portions. A resilient sealant material is bonded to the inner surface of the vent button, and the opposing sheet metal portions and the sealant material form a small gap for releasing a vacuum or pressure from the container in response to downward pressure on the top wall portion of the vent button.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a closure or lid for a food or beverage container as disclosed, for example, in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,688 and No. 6,206,220, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. These patents are directed to a thin sheet metal closure or cap or lid for a sealed food or beverage container wherein the closure is removably sealed to the container and reclosable on the container. Commonly, the container is formed of glass but may also be formed plastic or thin sheet metal, and the vacuum or pressure within the sealed container is released to facilitate or simplify the removal of the closure or lid from the container with reduced torque. Other forms of containers with reusable closures for containers and having a vacuum or pressure release structure before the closure is removed from the container are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,436 and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2014/0103044,

As used herein, the term container includes a glass or sheet metal or plastic container, and the term lid includes any form of removable closure such as a twist-on, twist-off sheet metal cap or a press-on, press-off sheet metal cap or lid for a container. The lid has a peripheral chime or rim portion with a bonded sealant material to form a releasable sealed coupling between the lid and the container. In such an enclosed container and lid assembly, it has been found desirable to add an easily activated and dependable vacuum or pressure release button to the lid, including after the lid has been formed on tooling which shapes the lid and which may have bonded sealant material on the inner surface of the rim portion of the lid. It is also sometimes desirable to minimize the thickness of the sheet metal which forms the lid and to provide some form of visible tamper-proof indication when vacuum or pressure has been released from the container, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,152,911.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an improved sheet metal removable lid for a container having a vacuum or pressure enclosed food or beverage product and which includes a vacuum or pressure release button operable with a controlled and dependable pressure to facilitate easy removal of the lid, and to the tooling and method for producing the lid. The method steps of forming the lid are especially adapted for adding the vacuum or pressure release button to a lid which has been pre-formed for removably attaching to a glass jar or sheet metal container. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a sheet metal lid having a peripheral rim portion with a bonded sealant material has a center portion formed with tooling in successive stages of a progressive die to form an upwardly projecting vent button within an annular cavity. The button has a top wall portion surrounded by a side wall portion which is surrounded by a flange portion. An arcuate score or shear line is formed within the flange portion adjacent the bottom of the side wall portion, and the shear line is formed to produce a small gap in response to a limited pressure on the top wall of the button. The arcuate shear line extends through at least eighty percent of the thickness of the sheet metal forming the flange portion and may extend completely through the sheet metal.

An arcuate or annular retention rib or bead projects downwardly within the flange portion of the vent button and extends adjacent the arcuate shear line. The opposing flange portions that define the shear line are pressed axially together or flattened for closing the shear line and controlling the pressure required on the top wall to separate the flange portions and define a small vent gap. A sealant material is bonded to the inner surface of the vent button below the shear line and has a lip portion which extends to the retention bead. When the top wall of the vacuum release button is pressed downwardly, the opposing flange portions of the button separate and the lip portion of the sealant material extending to the bead peels away from the inner surface of the flange portion of the button and air or gas flows through the gap to release the vacuum or pressure within the container. When the button is released, the sealant recontacts the inner surface of the flange portion of the button due to spring hinge action produced by the sheet metal portions at the opposite ends of the arcuate shear line and by the reinforcement provided by the retention rib or bead. These sheet metal portions also limit the small vent gap.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a conventional sheet metal lid before sealant material is bonded to the rim portion of the lid;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the lid shown in FIG. 1 and with a center portion of the lid formed with a vacuum or pressure release button in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 2 and with a sealant material added to the outer rim portion of the lid and also added to the release button in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the lid of FIG. 3 secured to the top portion of a glass container having a food or beverage product;

FIG. 5 shows the lid of FIG. 4 after the vacuum or pressure release button has been depressed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a vacuum or pressure release button constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the button, taken generally on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a larger fragmentary section of the lid, taken generally on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lid and tooling for lancing or completely shearing the button on the shear line shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lid shown in FIG. 5 after the button has been depressed;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the button after being sheared or lanced as shown in FIG. 9 and compressed back together;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the button being lanced or scored by opposing tooling components;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 12 and showing the scored lid being flattened or compressed between tooling components;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing a lid being double sheared or scored by opposing tooling components;

FIG. 15 is an axial section of a lid similar to FIG. 2 and having a modified vacuum release button formed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 6 and taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lid shown in FIG. 15 and taken generally on the line 17-17 of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional sheet metal removable lid 20 having a vertical center line 21 and commonly formed from thin sheet steel having a thickness of about 0.007 or 0.008 inch. The lid 20 includes a flat circular top wall 23 surrounded by peripheral horizontal rim portion 24 with inwardly projecting portions 26 for releasably engaging or coupling the lid 20 to an upper portion 28 of a container 30 (FIG. 4) in a conventional manner with a twist on, twist off coupling or a press-on and press-off coupling to the container. The inner surface of the rim portion 24 includes an annular bonded resilient sealant material 34 (FIG. 3) such as a food grade PVC or plastisol, which forms a tight seal with the container 30, in a conventional manner. Either before or after the annular layer of sealant material 34 is added to the lid 20, the lid is formed by progressive die stages to produce a removable lid 35 (FIG. 2) having a push button vacuum or pressure release vent button 40 constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3-8, the vent button 40 is preferably circular and may be located in the center portion of the lid 35. The vent button 40 includes a substantially flat top wall portion 44 surrounded by a side wall portion 46 which extends to a surrounding flange wall portion 48. The flange wall portion 48 extends to an outer flange portion 52 (FIG. 8) connected by an inclined annular wall portion 54 (FIGS. 7 & 8) to the top wall 23 of the lid. A downwardly projecting annular rib or bead 56 projects below the flange wall portion 48. As shown in FIG. 7, a semi-circular or arcuate portion of the bead 56 is spaced outwardly from the side wall portion 46 of the button 40, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the bead 56 extends at the bottom of the side wall portion 46 of the vent button 40.

Referring to FIGS. 6 & 7, an arcuate shear line 60 extends into the flange portion 48 and is located radially inwardly from the downwardly projecting bead 56 and adjacent the side wall portion 46 of the vent button. As shown in FIG. 9, the shear line 60 may extend completely through the flange portion 48 of the button 40 and this is performed by lancing the flange portion between shear die tooling components 63 and 65 to separate opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″. After the shearing or lancing operation of FIG. 9, the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″ are pressed or compressed back together as shown in FIG. 11 and into alignment by tooling components 67 and 69 to form a tight friction fit between the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″.

The optimum desired downward pressure on the vent button 40 to separate the flange portions 48′ and 48″ at the shear line 60, may also be obtained by pressing a shearing or scoring tool 75 (FIG. 12) into the flange portion 48 of the vent button 40 and against a tooling component or anvil 78 having a slightly crowned the surface 79. The shearing or scoring tool 75 is pressed into the flange portion 48 by at least 80% of the sheet metal thickness of flange portion 48 so that the remaining or residual 60′ at the shear line 60 is approximately 0.0008 inch or less and forms the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″. As shown in FIG. 13, the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″ are then flattened or pressed back together between opposing flat surfaces of tooling components or members 82 and 83.

Referring to FIG. 14, the residual 85 at the shear line 60 of about 0.0008 inch may also be obtained by opposing shearing or scoring members or tools 87 and 88 which simultaneously shear or score from both the top surface and the bottom surface of the flange wall 48 to form the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″ and produce the residual 85 at the shear line 60.

Referring to FIGS. 15-17, the downwardly projecting rib or bead 56 is circular within the flange wall portion 48 of the vent button 40 and is concentric with the arcuate shear line 60 (FIG. 16). As also shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 16, a generally triangular and tapered depression 90 is formed within the top wall portion 44 and provides an indication of where the top wall should be pressed above the shear line 60 to separate the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″ as shown in FIGS. 5 and 10. As also shown in FIGS. 5 and 10, a sealant material 95 such as PVC or plastisol, which may be the same as the resilient sealant material 34, is added to the inner surface of the vent button 40 when the lid is inverted, and the sealant material includes a flange or lip portion 97 (FIG. 10) which projects radially past the arcuate shear line 60 and releasably attaches to the retention bead 56 formed in the flange wall portion 48 of the vent button 40. Thus, when the top wall portion 44 of the vent button 40 is pressed downwardly with a predetermined pressure, the flange portions 48′ and 48″ separate (FIG. 10) and the flange or lip portion 97 of the sealant material 95 peels away from the retention bead 56 to form a very narrow space or gap 100 (FIG. 10). The gap permits air above the vent button 40 to flow into the container 28 or pressurized gas within the container to flow out of the container and eliminate any vacuum or pressure within the container. Since the sealant material 95 is in a fluid condition when it is added to the vent button 40, and is heated, the sealant material flows under the shear line 60 and is retained by the bead 56 under the flange wall portion 48 of the vent button.

It is apparent from the drawings and the above description that a removable container lid provided with a vent button 40 in accordance with the invention, provides desirable features and advantages. For example, the forming the vent button with the shear line 60 as shown in FIGS. 9 & 11 or the shear or score line, as shown in FIGS. 12-14, provides for obtaining precision and dependable control over the desired pressure on the button to produce the small gap 100 between the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″. Also, when the pressure on the top wall portion 44 is released, the spring hinge effect in the sheet metal produced by the bead 56 and at opposite ends of the arcuate shear line 60 causes the opposing flange portions 48′ and 48″ to return to their original opposing position shown in FIGS. 3 & 4 and also causes the lip portion 97 of the sealant material to reset on or contact the flange portion 48′, thereby closing the gap 100 to prevent any liquid within the container from flowing through the gap 100 from the container in the event the container was accidentally tilted onto its side.

While the reclosable lid and vacuum or pressure release button and its method of construction herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise methods and forms of release button described, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sheet metal lid having a vertical axis and including a top wall and a peripheral rim portion adapted to be secured to a container receiving a product and having vacuum or pressure, the lid comprising a portion of the top wall defining a vent button having a top wall portion, a surrounding side wall portion with an outwardly projecting flange portion extending around the side wall portion, a portion of the vent button having an arcuate shear line extending substantially into the thickness of the sheet metal forming the vent button, the portion of the vent button having the shear line being compressed at the shear line to provide for obtaining a predetermined downward pressure required on the top wall portion of the vent button to separate opposing portions of the sheet metal at the shear line, a resilient sealant material bonded to an inner surface of the vent button and having a portion overlapping the arcuate shear line, and the portion of the sealant material being effective to form a narrow gap along the shear line in response to depressing the top wall portion of the vent button for releasing vacuum or pressure from the container.
 2. A lid as defined in claim 1 wherein the shear line extends completely through the sheet metal and forms opposing portions for defining the gap, and the opposing portions of the sheet metal being axially compressed to be substantially flush with the sheet metal adjacent the shear line.
 3. A lid as defined in claim 1 wherein the top wall portion of the vent button includes a generally triangular and downwardly projecting recess portion for indicating where to depress the top wall portion to separate the opposing portions and produce the gap.
 4. A lid as defined in claim 1 wherein the top wall portion of the vent button is below the top wall of the lid before pressure is applied to the top wall portion of the vent button.
 5. A lid as defined in claim 1 and including a circular bead in the flange portion of the vent button.
 6. A sheet metal lid having a vertical axis and including a top wall and a peripheral rim portion with a bonded sealant material, and adapted to be releasably secured to a container receiving a vacuum or pressure enclosed product, the lid comprising, a portion of the top wall defining a vent button having a top wall portion, a surrounding side wall portion with an outwardly projecting flange portion extending around the side wall portion, the flange portion having an arcuate shear line projecting into the flange portion adjacent the side wall portion of the button and extending substantially through the thickness of the sheet metal forming the flange portion, an arcuate bead within the flange portion and disposed laterally outwardly from the arcuate shear line, the flange portion being axially compressed at the shear line to obtain a predetermined downward pressure required on the top wall portion of the vent button to separate opposing flange portions of the sheet metal at the shear line, a resilient sealant material bonded to an inner surface of the vent button and having a portion projecting laterally outwardly onto an inner surface of the lid and overlapping the shear line, and the projecting flange portion of the sealant material being effective to define a narrow gap along the shear line in response to depressing the top wall portion of the vent button for releasing vacuum or pressure from the container.
 7. A lid as defined in claim 6 wherein the opposing flange portions of the sheet metal at the shear line cooperate to define the gap, and the opposing flange portions of the sheet metal being axially compressed to be substantially flush with the sheet metal forming the flange portion at the shear line.
 8. A lid as defined in claim 6 wherein the top wall portion of the vent button includes a generally triangular and downwardly projecting recess portion for indicating where to depress the top wall portion to separate the opposing flange portions and produce the gap.
 9. A lid as defined in claim 6 wherein the top wall portion of the vent button is below the top wall of the lid before pressure is applied to the top wall portion of the vent button.
 10. A lid as defined in claim 6 wherein the bead is circular.
 11. A method of adding a vacuum or pressure release button to a sheet metal lid having a vertical axis and a peripheral rim portion adapted to be secured to the top end portion of a container for a product and having a vacuum or gas pressure, the method comprising the steps of pressing a portion of the top wall of the lid downwardly to form an upwardly projecting vent button, forming the vent button with a top wall portion and a surrounding side wall portion extending to a flange portion projecting laterally outwardly from the side wall portion, forming a downwardly projecting bead within the flange portion adjacent the side wall portion of the vent button, shearing an arcuate portion of the flange portion between the side wall portion and the retention bead to form an arcuate shear line extending substantially through the metal thickness of the flange portion, compressing a top surface and a bottom surface of the flange portion along the shear line between opposing tooling members to select the downward force required on the top wall portion of the vent button to shear the sheet metal at the shear line, and bonding a sealant material to an inner surface of the vent button below the shear line and effective to define a vacuum or pressure release gap in response to depressing the top wall of the vent button above the shear line for releasing vacuum or gas pressure from the container.
 12. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of shearing an arcuate portion of the flange portion comprises shearing completely through the sheet metal and separating opposing flange portions, and axially compressing the flange portions back together into opposing alignment.
 13. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein the step of bonding the sealant material to the inner surface of the button is performed when a sealant material is bonded to the rim portion of the lid.
 14. A method as defined in claim 11 and including the step of forming a generally triangular recess portion into the top wall portion of the vent button.
 15. A method of adding a vacuum release button to a sheet metal lid having a vertical axis and a horizontal peripheral rim portion adapted to be releasably secured to the open end portion of a container for a vacuum or gas pressure product, the method comprising the steps of pressing a portion of the top wall of the lid downwardly to form an upwardly projecting vent button, forming the vent button with a top wall portion and a surrounding side wall portion extending to an annular flange portion projecting laterally outwardly from the side wall portion, forming a downwardly projecting bead within the flange portion adjacent the side wall portion of the vent button, shearing an arcuate portion of the flange portion between the side wall portion and the bead to form an arcuate shear line extending substantially into through the flange portion, compressing a top surface and a bottom surface of the flange portion along the shear line between opposing tooling members to control the downward force required on the top wall portion of the vent button to shear the sheet metal at the shear line, and bonding a sealant material to an inner surface of the vent button below the shear line and effective to define a vacuum or pressure release gap in response to depressing the top wall of the vent button above the shear line for releasing vacuum or gas pressure from the container.
 16. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of shearing an arcuate portion of the flange portion is effect to separate opposing flange portions, and axially compressing the flange portions back together into opposing alignment.
 17. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of bonding the sealant material to the inner surface of the button is performed when a sealant material is bonded to the rim portion of the lid.
 18. A method as defined in claim 15 and including the step of forming a generally triangular recess portion into the top wall portion of the vent button.
 19. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of shearing an arcuate portion of the flange portion comprises shearing the sheet metal into the top and bottom sides of the flange portion. 